Element #92

Uranium

actinide solid Discovered 1789

238.029 Atomic Mass (u)

1135 C Melting Point

4131 C Boiling Point

19.1 g/cm3 Density

1.38 Electronegativity

[Rn] 5f3 6d1 7s2 Electron Config

7 Period

3 Group

📖 About Uranium

The heaviest naturally occurring element and the fuel for nuclear power. Natural uranium is 99.3% U-238 and 0.7% U-235. Only U-235 is readily fissile. Enrichment increases the U-235 fraction: reactor fuel is 3-5% U-235, weapons-grade is over 90%. One kilogram of enriched uranium contains as much energy as about 3 million kg of coal.

🔧 Uses and Applications

Nuclear reactor fuel (enriched UO2 pellets)
Nuclear weapons (highly enriched)
Depleted uranium armor-piercing ammunition
Counterweights in aircraft (historically)
Geological age dating (uranium-lead method)

💡 Did You Know?

Fact: The energy in just 7 grams of uranium fuel (a single pellet) equals that from 564 liters of oil, 481 kg of coal, or 481 cubic meters of natural gas. A typical nuclear power plant uses about 27 tonnes of fuel per year to power a million homes.